Happily Ever After
by MusicalCatharsis
Summary: And much like that first time in this house, he held me close, whispering the words, "we can make this work." I looked down at him, smiling sadly. "This, B, this is how it works for us." Lots of Brallie. Set 10 years in the future.
1. Chapter 1

**But tell me you love me, come back and haunt me**

**Oh, and I rush to the start**

**Running in circles, chasing our tails**

**Coming back as we are**

**Coldplay – The Scientist  
**

* * *

My eyes were closed, peacefully, almost as if I was sleeping. His lips kissed down my neck, stopping to place a soft flutter against my shoulder. The hands that I love caressed down my side, stopping at my waist, pulling me closer against his center. I sighed into his neck, my hands coming up to cup the back of his head, holding him closer to me. I was lifted up, my back hitting the drywall behind me, his hands cupping my behind. I wrapped my legs around his waist, and kissed him wherever my lips could land. "Callie," he murmured. I froze, the spell broken. Opening my eyes I looked into his and sighed.

"Brandon…" I looked up at him, silently asking him to put me down. He complied. I walked around his living room, finding my shirt and jacket. I turned to look at him. "This only works if we don't speak." He sighed as I pulled my shirt over my head, fixing it on my hips. I stood fluffing my hair in his mirror, reapplying my lip gloss and then throwing my jean jacket on, before looking at him.

"I have to go." I whispered. He jumped into action, climbing over their white couches and grabbing my wrist. He pulled me towards him.

"Please, Callie. We can leave them. We can be together." Laughing, I wrenched my hand out of his and shoved my left hand in his face. He recoiled as if I had slapped him. Betrayal ringing in his cerulean eyes.

"He asked me to marry him last night, I said yes. Why do you think I came here today? To tell you that this couldn't happen again, but then I get within fifty feet of you and my body starts to hum, my legs gets weak." I let my words trail off as his hand came up to caress my cheek. I sighed, wiping under my eyes, laughing nervously. "I am only doing what you asked me to do when you came home from college with Zoe attached to you like a lapdog. You told me to move on, and I did."

He growled, deep in his throat. "I didn't mean for you to move on with him!" He spoke slowly, breathing each word out with such venom. "I could handle anybody but him Callie." He placed his hands on either side of my head, bowing his to look down at me. My chest was heaving and my eyes flitted up to him.

"I couldn't handle you being with anybody, you will have to deal with Wyatt." Ducking under his arm I walked to the front door, sighing before turning the knob.

"I love you, Callie." He said. I nodded.

"I love what you've done with the place; it hardly looks like I used to live here Brandon. Give Zoe my regards." I pulled the door open slowly, almost begging him to come after me. He stood, feet rooted to the spot where I had cut him with my words. I let the door slam behind me, all but running to my car. Sliding behind the wheel and sighing heavily. I sped away before the tears started running down my face.

The sun glinted off of the ring on my finger, glaring down at it, and then glaring at the man standing in the middle of the street with his hands on his head in my rearview. Life gets messy when you love two men.

**And every tear that had to fall from my eyes, **

**Everyday I wondered how I'd get through the night, **

**Every change, life has thrown me, **

**I'm thankful, for every break in my heart, **

**I'm grateful, for every scar, **

**Some pages turned, **

**Some bridges burned, **

**But there were lessons learned.**

**Carrie Underwood – Lessons Learned**.

* * *

His arm was situated around my waist, there was a glass of champagne in my hand, and I was sipping it slowly. The nude heels I was wearing pinched my toes, and the talk of business finance was boring me to a dull migraine. I smiled, bringing the flute to my lips and taking a sip of the bubbly. I could feel his eyes on me from across the room. Scanning the area until I found her bright blonde hair, yellow dress, and silver glittery heels, making me cringe to think he let her out the house looking like a seventeen year old heading to prom. I turned my head to Wyatt, kissing him on the cheek, and giving my excuses. I made my way over to Stef, Lena, and Jude.

"Hey guys!" I said, doling out hugs and kisses. "I'm so glad you could make it! Where's Mari and Jesus?"

"They had to pick up Lexi and Steven. They should be here soon." I nodded.

"The hall looks great Callie!" Lena exclaimed, grabbing some champagne for her and Stef. "I can't believe both of my oldest are engaged!" I grinned at her, before looping my arm through Jude's. He had shot up when he turned fourteen, he towered over me at 5 foot 11.

"It seems like a lifetime ago that I sat in your kitchen with a black eye, huh?" Stef nodded her head, laughing aloud.

"I will never forget that day-" "Callie! Hey Callie!" Stef was cut off mid sentence, and I froze. Her voice already cutting through me. I exhaled loudly, before plastering a grin on my face and turning to face her. She kissed both of my cheeks, before nodding her approval at my outfit.

"I love the navy blue lace dress! I was going to wear something similar but this dress just called out to me! This engagement party is amazing, I was just telling Brandon that I want to have one just like it." I nodded my head. The pain of her words ripping through me. Tipping the champagne flute all the way up and finishing my drink. I grabbed another from the passing waiter. She continued droning on about some nonsense, "Oh, and we would love to have you and Wyatt over for dinner this week." That caught my attention.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked, not even bothering to pretend that I had been paying attention to her. My eyes were focused across the room on the tall brunette who had just engaged in a conversation with my fiancé. "That sounds good, Zoe, call my assistant and set it up. I'm sure we could set up some kind of shoot." Jude snickered behind me, and Lena sputter a little.

"Excuse me?" I asked, before handing my glass to Jude, and making my way over to Wyatt, and him. My heart rate quickened, just knowing he was near. I was intercepted halfway between Zoe, the teenaged model, and Brandon. Jesus pulled me into a tight embrace, kissing my cheek. I laughed as his breath tickled my neck.

"Somebody is finally making an honest woman out of you!" He exclaimed, I smiled at him and nodded while flashing my ring to Lexi and Marianna.

"You know, for someone who is twenty-five and married with baby number three on the way, I wouldn't be talking mister." He laughed, the gut busting, belly aching laugh that he had always had, and pulled me in for another hug.

"Hey man! Where is that crazy fiancé of yours?" Jesus asked, looking behind me to who I could only guess was Brandon. My body was on fire when he placed his hand on my lower back and lowered his lips to my cheek. I looked towards the bar and spoke.

"I spy an open bar with a whore attached to it. She better not get drunk and vomit like she did at my last party." I looked into Brandon's eyes, conveying every ounce of hurt.

"You don't have to call her a whore." He said, I laughed and looked over at her again. She was laughing and leaning into Wyatt's boss.

"She doesn't have to act like one." And for the second time in as many months, I walked away from him and to Wyatt. I kissed his lips and burrowed myself into his side. My eyes never left Brandon as he walked across the room to the bar, obviously displease by his fiancé's actions.

I ended the night in the same position I started it in: with my feet aching, a glass of champagne, and a migraine.

**Because when I'm with him I am thinking of you**

**Thinking of you, what you would do**

**If you were the one who was spending the night**

**Oh, I wish that I was looking into your eyes**

**Katy Perry – Thinking of You**

* * *

I groaned as I came out of yet another dressing room with yet another ball gown encasing my body.

"I don't think this is working." I yelled out to Lena, Stef, and Mari. "These are not what I was thinking of when I said let's go dress shopping." I looked down at myself. There was tulle, and tulle, and more tulle. Sparkles, and lace, and the dress just looked like it threw up all over itself. I turned to look at them and they each laughed in turn.

"Can I take it off now?" I pleaded. Mari shook her head vigorously.

"God, please, take it off. Burn it!" she yelled after me. I came out of the dressing room in the robe they provided for me, and scanned the racks. I could vaguely hear Stef speaking to someone on the phone. I moved closer to listen.

"No B, do not send her down here. We are picking out Callie's dress—" Stef huffed. "Brandon, she is vapid and self centered— fine, but if she upsets Callie, I won't hesitate to tell her off."

I turned back to the rack of dresses, scanning each one for something a little less bridal. I didn't feel like a bride, I didn't want to be his bride. I walked back to the girls.

"I'm going to call it a day. I have some developing I need to get done. Can we pick this up next Saturday?" I didn't wait for an answer.

She was entering the shop as I was leaving.

I don't know if it was memory that lead me to their apartment, or if it was the need to be near him when nobody could see us. But I do know that I stood on his doorstep for five minutes with my hand raised, poised to knock. And when I did, the door opened almost instantly.

Looking into his eyes, five feet in front of me, felt like the world stopped spinning. It felt like it was just him and I. I pulled my jacket off as I crossed over the threshold, throwing myself into his arms. I slammed his body into the wall, kissing his lips so hard that our teeth knocked together. He lifted me effortlessly, wrapping my legs around his waist, pulling at the buttons on my shirt. Five long minutes later found us on the kitchen counter, near what I assumed was their dinner. He was still inside me, grinning like a mad man down at me. I looked up at him, smiling mischievously.

"I should go, before Zoe gets back." I said. He nodded and stepped back, pulling up his pants as he went. I fixed myself and walked to the door.

"Enjoy your dinner, B."

* * *

I sat later that night at Fleur, the new French restaurant that opened in downtown San Diego. Wyatt sat across from me, droning on about his day, drinking the two hundred bottle of wine he ordered with our pasta dinner. While in college Wyatt decided to follow in his grandfather's footsteps and become an economics major, which led to him becoming a partner at the family firm. Which in turn led to more money than he knew what to spend it on, I should have been happy, given how I was raised.

He was everything I should have wanted. He was stability, lovability, reliability. He was responsible, with a 9 to 9 job that he was willing to cut back to 9 to 5 if I agreed to give him children. We were building the type of home that I only wished for when I was a foster child. Like I said he was everything I should have wanted.

Later that night, in our king sized bed, with Wyatt on top of me, or me on top of him. Completely naked, and giving him what I felt I had to, to keep this charade going I could only think of him. As Wyatt whispered to me how much he loved me, and how good I made him feel. I imagined he was Brandon, and we were in our old full sized bed, making love until the early morning.

I was constantly thinking of Brandon, the one thing I couldn't have. I sighed and turned my focus back to Wyatt, hoping for this to be over with so that I could shower and take my birth control.

And once Wyatt's snores could be heard from the bathroom I dialed that familiar number, and he answered on the third ring, much like every night. I could hear him say to Zoe, that it was just Jesus, like every night, before he left her in their bedroom, the same one I used to fuck him in. I started to cry and he quietly talked to me through the receiver.

"You're all that I think about." I whispered to him harshly.

"I love you." He whispered to me. I sniffled, and moaned into the phone.

"I love you, too."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Goodbye

* * *

**I could tell that it was over**

**When her lips met mine**

**There was an emptiness in her voice**

**Hesitation when she smiled**

**She didn't have to say a word**

**It was just so plain to see**

**She had found what she'd been looking for **

**And I knew it wasn't me**

**Zac Brown Band – Goodbye in Her Eyes**

I sat in the comfortable black chair, my heels discarded with my purse in the next chair over. The woman standing behind me, with her fingers massaging my scalp while staring at my hair, wondering what to do with it, smiled down at me warmly.

"A trim, and a blowout should be fine." I said to her. And she set to work. Most of my relationships work like this, I give a suggestion, and someone runs with it. It's not the worst way to live. I let my eyes close, my mind travelling to all those years ago, when we still lived in the Fosters' house. When Brandon and I would scale the small roof to each other's rooms, when things were happy and simple. I inhaled deeply holding the air in my lungs for a while as my heart began to ache.

**8 Years Ago**

My window creaked as it was slowly pushed open from the outside. I smiled sadly down at the letter in my hand, and then up at the boy I had come to love with everything that was me. This single piece of paper had changed the course of my life, and for that I was grateful. He sat himself in the center of my bed, shoes and shirt already discarded, his pajama pants riding low on his hips. I handed the paper off to him.

"Callie, this is fantastic!" he said. I nodded my head. Rhode Island School of Design, they wanted me. They really wanted me, and with a full scholarship to boot. But then it dawned on him, he would be attending school on the other side of the country. I turned to him, my body melting into his once again. My head resting on his bare chest, listening intently to his heart beating steadily.

"We can make this work." He whispered to me, pulling me tightly against him, pulling my hair off of my face, and kissing me on the forehead. It was then that I decided that tonight would be the first and the last time I gave myself to Brandon Foster. After tonight, this wouldn't ever work. And so I stripped myself of my shirt and climbed on top of him.

He was gentle, knowing my past experience with sex. He rolled us over, kissing my face and whispering I love you as he slid into me for the first time. I sighed, happily, content, finally whole. And when we were both finished, he pulled me closer to him still, placed the blankets over the both of us and repeated his sentiment of "we can make this work."

It was the best night of sleep I had gotten in the days since the letter arrived, and when I woke before him I took it as a blessing in disguise. The small necklace he had given me for our anniversary was hanging around my neck, and I removed it gently, the first time I had taken it off in almost a year. I placed it around the neck of the guitar he had given me during my first of many weeks here, and the acceptance letter with the words 'I'm sorry' scribbled across the page.

By the time I had showered and gone downstairs to breakfast, I could see the change in him, the receding into himself. I had broken him, the perfect boy, man I should say. There was no taking back what I did. And even if I could take it back, I was too stubborn and set in my ways to even think of doing so. My last few weeks in the house before I packed up and drove across the country, were the hardest of my life. Not only did I loose him, I felt like I had lost my family. To me, he had always been my connection to the rest of them. I was wrong.

**8 Years Later**

I opened my eyes once I heard the hair dryer turn off, in a ton of pain on the inside, but on the outside I looked good. I looked at myself in the mirror, smiling before handing the girl a fifty dollar bill and standing to retrieve my shoes and purse. Stopping short when they were handed to me, by none other than Zoe, who was here to take my seat.

"Why haven't you crawled back into your hole?" I asked snidely. She smiled at me, you know the one you just want to smack right off.

"Oh Calliope, you're always so sweet. You should start being nicer to me, you wouldn't want Brandon to find out how mean you are?" She kissed my cheek before sitting down.

"Oh Zoe-Beth, you slut from a two horse town, B already knows how mean I can be." I smiled at her, walking away.

I handed the receptionist an extra fifty dollar bill, and I smiled at her confused expression.

"That one is for the stylist, and this one is for you, if you would be so kind as to make sure that that blonde trash gets the worst haircut known to man. Thanks." I smiled at her and set my next appointment for two weeks from now.

"Bye Zoe!" I called as I slipped my heels back on and left the salon. Slipping my sun glasses on and smirking to myself, I pulled out my phone and called Mari, to let her know to get some pictures for me. I wanted to make sure I could laugh it off before dinner tonight with the family.

* * *

**Somehow everything I own smells of you**

**And for the tiniest moment**

**It's all not true**

**Do the things that you always wanted to**

**Without me there to hold you back**

**Don't think, just do**

**Snow Patrol – You Could Be Happy**

"The house smells great!" I yelled, coming through the front door. Kicking off my heels in the makeshift mudroom and standing in the doorway. My jeans now brushing the floor and my shirt riding up my stomach a bit as I raised the bottle of wine above my head, but I paid no attention and I walked into the room and saw what everyone was looking at. Zoe sat at the table with a hat on her head. I smiled while kissing Lena and Stef on the cheek. I rounded the table giving Jude a big hug.

"How are you bud?" I asked.

"Great, now that you're here." He responded before looking to everyone in the room. "Can we finally see your hair Zoe?" I locked eyes with Mari across the room, and then froze when I realized that Brandon was standing behind her.

"Hey Callie, where's Wyatt?" he asked.

"At the office, he should be here soon." I responded, before opening the wine and pouring myself a glass. "Anybody else want some, it's Merlot." I asked, before taking down a few more glasses.

"I love the new cut, Callie. It looks good on you." Lexi said from across the room, while rubbing her swollen belly. I smiled at her.

"Thanks babe, but I just got a trim." I shrugged, before lifting the glass to my lips and taking a sip. "Oh, this is divine. Zoe, do you want some?" I asked, finally speaking to her.

"No, I don't want any wine you bitch, I want my hair back."

"I'm sorry what does your hair have to do with wine?" I asked at the same time that Brandon said: "What did I tell you about calling her a bitch?"

"Don't you have any respect, you're sitting here with my mothers and Jude, watch your mouth." He scolded her.

"Must be exhausting…" I muttered. He shot me a look as if to tell me knock it off.

"What must be exhausting Calliope?" Zoe asked, pushing my buttons yet again today.

"You must be exhausting Zoe-Beth. Poor Brandon must be so tired of always having to remind you of where you are and how to act. It must be like he has a child instead of a fiancé. I feel bad for him really; you'll never understand why I can't stand you." I said, shrugging before taking another sip of wine.

"That's enough Callie. Zoe, please don't call her Calliope, you know she hates it." Stef said, "Jesus! Set the table please, you better not be on that video game! Jude, trash, and Brandon, please go make sure the candles have been pulled from the attic. I hear there is a storm coming in tonight and I want to make sure we have then just in case."

I made my way over to Mari, stopping to give Zoe a kiss on the cheek as I went. Brandon leaned down to me as I got to him, kissing the corner of my mouth, while Marianna gave us a knowing stare. He whispered into my ear, sending shivers down my back.

"Please, cut it out. She's already in a foul mood from your stunt at the salon today." I tilted my head back and let out a loud laugh. I looked him in the eye and smirked.

"Guess I'm just plain evil." He took my glass of wine, and sipped it. "That is good." He took another sip, his tongue darting out to lick his lips. I stared at his mouth, remember how he knew exactly how to use that pretty little thing to make me feel amazing. I reached up to him, trying to retrieve my glass. The moment was shattered as I heard Zoe speak.

"Hi Wyatt! So glad you could make it." I turned away from Brandon, my shoulders sinking just a bit as I walked over to my fiancé and gave him a kiss on the cheek. I could feel his eyes on me, staring a hole into my back and yet I didn't turn around to look at him.

"Time for dinner." Lena said, breaking the tension in the room. I let out a breath of relief as I hooked my arm around Jude's neck and ruffled his hair. I smiled up at him, him returning the smile down at me. I could get through this dinner.

* * *

**Story of my life, searching for the right**

**But it keeps avoiding me**

**Sorrow in my soul because it seems that wrong**

**Really loves my company**

**He's more than a man **

**And this is more than love**

**The reason that the sky is blue**

**Rihanna – Unfaithful **

We sat around the table like we did when we were kids. Jesus, Lexi, Mari, and Jude. Moms at the head of the table. Zoe, Brandon, me, and Wyatt. This was an uncomfortable position to be in to say the least. Brandon was too close, and I felt like Wyatt was too far away. I kept my eyes focused on my meal, deciding that the faster I ate, the faster I could get out of here. The universe had another plan in mind, this I deduced as I heard the thunder clap outside. Luckily for Jesus, Lexi, and Mari, they all lived in the neighborhood and could go home, but for the rest of us, we all lived over the bridge in the city. The lights flickered halfway through dinner, and then finally shut off during dessert. Zoe gave a little squeak and I heard Brandon huff. The both of us rushed around and got the candles lit and the flashlights going, and soon it was as if nothing had happened.

* * *

I was still awake at two in the morning, upset because I didn't get to call Brandon, and have my nightly conversation with him. Upset because I hadn't felt his hands on me in days. Upset because he hadn't been inside me in days. I sat up in the bed I used to sleep with Brandon, in this room where we had made love for the first time. I sighed heavily and rolled over. Wyatt was snoring lightly, lying on his back with his face towards the window. I climbed out of bed and threw on his undershirt over my bra and panties. Barefoot and half naked I left my childhood bedroom, and ventured downstairs to the kitchen.

He was sitting there with his shirt off, his shoulders hunched over a cup of coffee, with a pencil in one hand and sheet music spread on the surface of the island. I walked up behind him, stealing his cup and bringing it to my lips. I let the warm liquid flow down my throat, moaning in appreciation. He turned to look at me, but look back quickly, disgust evident in his face.

"You just had to wear his shirt didn't you?" I shrugged, returning his cup.

"You just had to bring her to dinner?" Brandon sighed before turning in the stool to face me, his hand coming up to grip my waist under Wyatt's shirt. He yanked me closer to him, burying his face in my chest. I looked down at him, my hand coming up to move his curls off of his forehead. I leaned down and placed a kiss to the area I had just cleared. I felt his fingers squeeze my side.

"Like it or not, she's going to be my wife, since you won't leave Wyatt." He said. I recoiled from him, as if he had burned me.

"Once again, Brandon, I'm only doing what you asked me to do when you showed up with Barbie."

"Oh, save it Callie. You broke up with me remember, and with no words to boot. What was I supposed to do? Wait for you?"

"Yes! No, damn it Brandon, I don't know." My eyes scanned the floor; it was obvious that tonight we would be fighting instead of loving. I sighed. "Please, let's just sit here and not fight." I asked my words hopeful. He scoffed.

"How can I not fight you when you, the woman I love, are standing in front of me in another man's shirt, with another man's ring on?" I shrugged, smiling up at him.

I leaned forward, placing my lips on his. He pulled me closer to him again, and I climbed onto his lap. I felt his fingers pull my panties to the side, and soon he was inside of me. I bit my lip, moaning into his ear. From our positions he could watch himself move into me from the reflection the kitchen light made on the glass door. We stayed like that long after we were finished. Him inside me, and with our significant others sleeping upstairs. And much like that first time in this house, he held me close, whispering the words, "we can make this work."

I looked down at him, smiling sadly.

"This, B, this is how it works for us."

* * *

**A/N: Okay so, this here is a second chapter. I uh, don't normally do chapter stories, and I might have to up this to M. Now I don't plan on going into detail for their excursions, but what I have written may not be T in nature. Thank you all for reading. **


	3. Chapter 3: Deserve

Chapter 3: Deserve

* * *

**So this is me swallowing my pride  
Standing in front of you, saying I'm sorry for that night  
And I go back to December  
It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you  
Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine  
I go back to December, turn around and make it alright  
I go back to December, turn around and change my own mind  
I go back to December all the time  
Taylor Swift – Back to December  
**

During this time of year in Rhode Island, the leaves would have long since fallen off of the trees. There would be a frost each morning on the ground, and if I was lucky enough it would be a week where it would actually snow. On the weekends I would travel into Massachusetts, driving all the way up to Cape Cod, and once the road ended and I couldn't drive anymore I would get out of the car. My feet would touch the sand, so much colder than back home in California; his Anchor Beach sweater would be wrapped around me, almost as if he were here with me. I would stand there, at the edge of the beach for a while before inhaling deeply and taking one step out into the Atlantic. Literally propelling myself forward, hoping to fall, and hoping he would catch me. It would be there, when I was no longer standing on the mapped land of the United States, which I would drop to my knees and weep. Crying out for him, screaming his name at the top of my lungs into the biting wind, it was heartbreaking to say the least. And when the crisp wind had dried my tears on my cheeks, and I felt the tingle of the cold settling into my bones, I would stand up from the ocean, turn my back on its vast beauty, and step back into known territory.

Now back home, in California, with the sun always shining and my skin always tanned, I missed those long drives and that chilling wind. I missed the leaves changing color. And I most definitely missed the cool sand leading up to the Atlantic Ocean. The East Coast would always hold a special place in my heart, and maybe one day, I would return there with Brandon. Drive him along I95, cross over the Bourne Bridge, and take him to the last place I felt whole before he came back along.

The black phone on my desk jarred me from my thoughts, snapping my mind back from Massachusetts to California. I reached out my left hand, noticing that I needed a manicure, and jotted down a note to call Marianna and Lexi for a trip to the salon.

"This is Callie Jacobs." I spoke into the receiver. Silently perusing the prints in front of me on my desk as I waited for the person on the other line to talk.

"Callie…" I relaxed, a warm smile spreading over my face.

"Hey, B. What's up?" I asked.

"It's mom." He said, "She's been in an accident. I need you." The smile slid off of my face, my eyes automatically tearing up from the immense pain at the thought of the woman I called my mother in ruins.

"I will be right there, babe."

I raced around my office on autopilot, gathering work and person items, flicking the button for my voicemail to pick up, and rushing an apology to my assistant. I was in the car and speeding down the expressway in minutes.

There was a time when I was a senior in college, and the family had flown into T.F. Green airport, to surprise me for Christmas. They rented a cottage down in Newport for the month long break. I remember sitting in my dorm room, with his sweatshirt on and a pair of yoga pants, eating easy mac and watching television when there was a knock at my door. I remember screaming in delight when I saw him standing on the other side. Not thinking of the consequences, or even how I had broken him almost four years previous, I threw myself into his arms. Crashing the two of us into the hallway as my lips found his in seconds, as if it hadn't been four years since they touched.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him. He shrugged.

"You said you needed me. So we all came." I smiled, realizing for the first time that I had a family, though I was never officially adopted.

* * *

The hospital was cold, almost as cold as winters on the Atlantic, and smelled of disinfectant and cheap air freshener. I ran to the information desk, my heels clicking a mile a minute.

"Foster." I barked at the woman. She looked at me affronted.

"Are you immediate family?" the woman asked me. I nodded.

"I'm her daughter."

"Foster, Stephanie. Floor 3. Room ICU287." I nodded my thanks to her, rushing over to the elevator, my finger jabbing at the button repeatedly. When I realized it was taking too long to come I turned for the stairs, and raced up the three flights. Bursting through the green door to the third floor I paused, reading the signs. Looking for the right direction to him, to her, to my grieving family.

"Callie!" I heard the pain in his voice; the tears welling up just behind his eyes glittered in the fluorescent lights when I turned to look at him. Running once again, I always seemed to be running in heels no less. I slammed my body into his, melding against him the way only I can do. His hands came up to cradle me, one hand behind my head holding me to his chest, the other pulling the rest of my body flush against him. I cried into him as he shook gently against me. I pulled back a fraction.

"How is she?" I asked, he leaned down and kissed my forehead.

"Not good. Some idiots ran a red light and slammed into the side of their car. Mom took most of the impact, Mama is getting x-rays done right now." I nodded.

"Where's everyone else?" he sighed.

"I haven't called them yet; I wanted you to be here with me when I did." I nodded, proceeding to pull out my cell phone and dialing the familiar numbers associated with our family. His arm around my shoulder and my head on his chest.

* * *

**It's not the way that I planned **

**Just the right man, the wrong time**

**Even the moments he's holding me I know he's not really mine **

**When I appear into the windows of the home **

**I'm torn apart **

**I can't help but wonder **

**Whatever happened to my heart?**

**Such an uninvited lesson I never meant to learn **

**She gets what I deserve**

**SheDaisy – She Gets What I Deserve**

It was later that night, as we all sat around her bed that I realized I was sitting alone with Jude on the opposite side of the room. He held me close to him rubbing my arms and kissing my forehead like I used to do to him all those years ago. From where I was sitting I could see Zoe her face buried into Brandon's chest, with her phone out, typing frequently with a small smile on her face. The sight disgusted me that while Brandon was watching his mother and hurting in way that caused the rest of us to hurt more, his loving fiancé was texting. I scoffed, causing her to look up at me.

"Is there a problem, Calliope?" she asked sweetly.

"Yeah, there's a problem." I responded, squaring my shoulders, staring her in the face.

"And what is that, Calliope?"

"You are my problem. Put the fucking phone away and actually comfort your fiancé. You are so self centered it's not even funny. Texting your sorority sisters or your little boyfriend right now is so disrespectful." I hissed at her.

"So you're just annoyed because you can't be with your boyfriend, must suck that you and he are in the same room, grieving for the same thing, and you can't comfort each other." My eyes narrowed in her direction.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Wyatt is at work, and will be here when his conference call is over." I redirected her statement.

"Sure."

"God, I hate you."

"The feeling is mutual, darling." She replied. Flicking what little hair she had left over her shoulder.

"Enough." Jesus spoke with a sigh. "Please, let's just be here for mom."

"Okay, Jesus." I spoke, standing on my feet, my heels were long since discarded, "I'm going to go get some air." And with a heavy sigh I bent, grabbed my heels and left the room. I didn't care if he followed; he probably wouldn't because she was here. I ran my hand through my hair, pulling at the snarls, pulling because of my frustration.

The air outside was crisp and I inhaled it like a drug. I bent at the waist, clutching my sides for dear life, the tears came then fast and hard, running down my face. My knees hit the pavement and I felt all the fight leave my body. My shoulders shook violently with my weeping. My mind had travelled back to ten years ago, when we all sat in this same hospital, all vying for the same woman.

I felt him beside me, his body hitting the pavement next to me, arms circling around me pulling me into him. I felt a soft kiss land on my forehead, his arms rubbing up and down my arm. He kissed me cheeks, my eyes, my nose, and finally my lips.

"She's going to be okay Callie. I promise." He said. I looked up at him, pushing him away from me.

"You can't promise that Brandon. Nobody can promise that." He nodded.

"I know, but I can promise you that I will love you forever." I smiled up at him.

"That's a really nice sentiment Brandon, and I know that I love you with everything I have. But our lives were always destined for different paths. I managed to cross the breach and make something of myself, thanks to you, thanks to moms." I sighed, kissing him on the cheek. "But we have a love story like Romeo and Juliet; we're always destined for failure." I leaned back into him, burying myself into his armpit, burying myself deeper into him.

"I will always love you too, B. Please don't misunderstand what I meant by that. You, I will always belong to you."

"I won't marry her Callie. And moms, they would support us, and you'd finally be a Foster legally. We could elope tonight Callie."

"Brandon…" I let my sentence trail off. I stood, holding my hand out to him, helping him to his feet. I laid my head on his chest gently.

"We should get back." I whispered up at him. He nodded, grabbing my hand with his, and walking back into the hospital.

The room was silent as we walked back into it, I looked around. Jude looked up at me, tears staining his eyes.

"They took her back into surgery." I felt his knees give out. His hand pulled me down with him, and I rocked him gently much like he rocked me outside.

"She's going to be okay, I promise." I whispered to him.

"You can't make that promise." He parroted back to me.

We sat like that, with our family surrounding us, for the better part of an hour. Zoe stood on her silver heels, sighed and said. "Well, while this is fun, I have someplace to be."

I glared up at her. "You have to be fucking kidding me." I looked down at Brandon.

"He seems like he's in good hands." She said. Stepping over his legs. He growled deep in his throat.

"Hey Zoe," he spoke. "It's over. Get your shit, and get out of my house." I smiled down at him, and despite the gravity of the situation, the family smiled. She huffed stomping angrily out of the private room. He looked up at me.

"One down. One to go."

* * *

**A/N: I wanted to get this out tonight before the new episode. Hope you all enjoy it. **


	4. Chapter 4

**If we had known our love would come to this**

**We could have saved our hearts the hurt of wasted years.**

**Well it's been fun - what else can I say? **

**If the feeling's gone words won't stop you anyway**

**Blake Shelton – Goodbye Time**

I sat on the pristine white couch in their, excuse me, his living room. I held a glass of wine in one hand, my cell phone in the other. My thumb was poised over the call button, Wyatt's face displayed on the screen. He was calling me yet again, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to answer it this time. The night Brandon told Zoe to leave, I went home with him. I haven't been back to my apartment since. I had been living in a fantasy world, hiding from Wyatt, hiding from the family. Just hiding out in general. My phone rang again, for the tenth time that day. I sighed, lifting the wine glass to my lips to take a long sip, before I answered his call.

"Callie." He said. The panic obvious in his voice.

"Hey." I whispered.

"Where are you? I've been worried sick." I laughed.

"I'm at Brandon's." I said there was no need to lie about it. I'm sure he already knew where I was.

"Baby, I won't…I can't give you up to him twice in my lifetime. I'm not that generous. Come home to me. I love you, Callie. I don't want to lose you, not to him. Not again."

It wasn't as if my life with Wyatt was terrible. He treated me like I should be treated, comforted me when I was sad. Held me when I cried, he just wasn't Brandon. In both of our hearts we knew that.

"Come get me." Hiding out wasn't going to solve any of the problems the last two weeks had presented with. It wasn't going to solve the fact that each night I made love to Brandon, fell asleep in his arms, and woke in his bed. It didn't change the nightly routine of him coming home from composing in the studio to me cooking dinner in his kitchen with one of his button down shirts on, missing some panties. It didn't change the fact that he would always slide into me, no matter where I was. Our routine consisted of carefree, mind blowing sex. It wouldn't change the fact that I loved being here with him, I loved him. But on the other side of the fence, where the grass always seems greener, I loved Wyatt as well. I made a promise to him, one that I had intended to keep at the time. And a part of me still does intend to keep.

My mind travelled back ten years, to the first time I kissed Brandon. When I told him that I deserved to finally be happy and I smashed my lips onto his. When we stood there and the world stopped spinning and fireworks went off, and the sun broke through the clouds, and birds sang just a little louder, and my head was spinning from the glass of champagne I was allowed to drink. And I felt it, I felt the world shift on its axis, I felt the planets realign. I felt myself connect to that boy, the one who was slowly becoming a man; I felt the puzzle pieces just click together. He was it for me. No matter how hard I tried to deny it, or date other people. Brandon Michael Foster was the one.

But I was a flight risk, this we both knew from the start.

* * *

**Wonder this time where she's gone**

**Wonder if she's gone to stay**

**Ain't no sunshine when she's gone**

**And this house just ain't no home**

**Anytime she goes away**

**Bill Withers – Ain't No Sunshine**

He was a changed man, much like he was 8 years ago when I left the first time. Surly, brooding, and moody. I looked around the room, sensing all eyes on me, knowing deep down that I was the reason he was drowning at the bottom of that whiskey bottle. Sunday night sat us all around the dining room table, eating dinner and making small talk. I, like usual, had my glass of wine in front of me, nursing it as I was driving home tonight. Brandon on the other hand had an entire bottle of Jack Daniels sitting in front of him, already half empty.

"Don't you think you should slow down, B." I asked gently. His head snapped up to meet my eyes. The hate and hurt spilling from those eyes that used to shine with such love pierced through my heart.

"You don't get to judge me." He spat. "You do not get to sit there on your high fucking horse and judge me." I nodded, putting my fork down and wiping my mouth with my napkin. I stood, rounding the table and grabbed him by the elbow. He yanked it out of my hand immediately. Looking into Wyatt's eyes as he spoke; "This is the first meal I've tried to eat since you broke my heart again. Since, you, you, decided that I wasn't enough for you. Since, for some fucking reason you still feel like dating me in public will get you throw out of another foster home." He lifted the bottle to his lips, taking another long pull from the neck of it. The family sat at the table, eyes downcast, trying at all costs to avoid watching and hearing this.

"B, stop. Think about what you're –"he cut me off.

"But Callie, you're not sixteen anymore, Jude isn't twelve. You're 26 years old. You don't have anything left to fear but yourself. Sometimes I can't even stand the sight of you, but damn it if I don't love every little fucking thing about you. We were never family Callie. Jude, he's my brother. But you, from the moment I saw you at this fucking table, I knew you were the one. I could never be your brother the way society wanted me to. The way moms wanted me to." He reached out to run his hand down the length of my cheek, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, much like he did all those years ago. Smiling down at me, he spoke again.

"Oh, and by the way Wyatt, I fucked your fiancé in that chair about four weeks ago. You're welcome." I stood there, my mouth wide open, gasping for air. He had never, in my entire time of knowing him, been so hurtful. So I did the only thing I could think of, raised my hand and slapped him across the face. When he turned back to face me I could see the red handprint clearly. He placed his hand over the mark and laughed.

"You still love me, Callie. And now they all know, so what's your excuse?" His other hand reached out for the bottle of whiskey, taking it with him up the stairs.

* * *

**I could tell you his favorite color is green **

**He loves to argue, born on the seventeenth **

**His sister's beautiful; he has his father's eyes **

**And if you asked me if I love him, **

**I'd lie**

**Taylor Swift – I'd Lie**

And I stood there, amongst the chaos and destruction that he had just created. I turned my back towards my family, hiding the tears that are spilling down my face, my shoulders hunched over, palms planted firmly on the counter top. There was silence behind me, as I could feel all of their eyes on me, begging me silently to turn around and speak to them.

"Callie?" I shuddered. My body shaking with rage and unshed tears.

"Go home Wyatt." I spoke evenly. "I will see you there later." I felt two pairs of arms slip around me as the front door opened and then closed. The gut wrenching sob that ripped its way from my throat did not fall on deaf ears as one man I loved sat on the stairs drinking whiskey, and the other walked to his car. I cried until I couldn't cry anymore, until my throat was dry and cracked and it hurt to speak. I clung to Stef and Lena as if I was drowning, and they were keeping me alive.

And finally when it all settled down, when I could hear that Marianna and Lexi had started a came of cards with Jesus and Jude. When I could see that they had cleaned the kitchen but left my wine out for me, when I realized that everything was okay after Brandon spilled our secrets for them, that nothing had changed. Everything was basically still the same. Stef kissed my forehead, smiling down at me sadly.

"Do you love him Callie?" she asked. I nodded my head; everybody had turned to look at me, their eyes unmoving, the ears perked. I saw him stand on the steps, ready to run to me or from me depending on my answer.

"Yes, but sometimes I really wish that I didn't." Brandon walked into the kitchen, and that dining room table served as the three thousand miles between us 8 years ago. He took a tentative step towards me, and when I didn't flinch he approached me, pulling me to my feet.

His piano calloused hands cupped my face and he pulled my lips to his. The whiskey and salt from my tears mingled together, tasting bitter. I sighed, leaning into him once again. And when the kiss stopped, and the world started spinning again, he leaned his forehead against mine, his hands trailing down to hold my own.

"I have to go." I whispered. And like any other flight risk, I was gone.

* * *

**Why you wanna **

**Show up in a old t-shirt that I love **

**Why you gotta tell me that I'm looking good **

**Don't know what you were thinkin' **

**You were doing **

**Moving in for a hug **

**Like you don't know I'm coming unglued **

**Why you gotta? Why you wanna?**

**Make me keep wanting you**

**Jana Kramer – Why You Wanna**

It had been a month, a long month at that. We didn't talk. We didn't meet. And neither one of us had shown up for Sunday dinners, scared that the other might be there. I felt myself slipping away from the only family I had ever known. It was on the fifth Sunday that I stood in the doorway of Wyatt's home office, dressed in a blue chiffon sun dress, nude wedges, and my sunglasses acting as a headband for my unruly curls.

"I'm going to dinner. Do you want to come?" I asked him.

"Is he going to be there?" I shrugged.

"Honestly, I'm not sure." He nodded, placing some papers into a folder and setting the folder into a drawer.

"Okay, let's go. I won't pretend that I don't hate his guts, but he's family. And please, when we're married, stop fucking him. I want to know in my heart that my kids are one hundred percent mine. I really don't want to have to look at them and wonder if they're actually his." I sighed, nervously running my hands down the skirt of my dress.

"Let's just go to dinner. This isn't something I want to discuss right now."

"That's rich, I didn't want to know that my fiancé was fucking another man in the room I'm going to eat dinner in tonight. But hey, because you don't want to talk about it, let's leave it alone right?" he hissed, slamming his hand on the top of his desk.

"I'm sorry for hurting you, Wyatt." He nodded.

"But you're not sorry that you did it." I let his words hang in the air for a moment.

"I'll be in the car." I turned on my heel and walked out of the house, grabbing my purse as I went.

* * *

The house was silent when I walked through the front door; I noted with a small smile that Brandon's car wasn't parked outside. I didn't know if that made me happy, or filled me with such sadness that tears threatened to spill out of my eyes. I walked into the kitchen, setting a bottle of wine on the counter.

"Hey." I said, capturing the attention of everyone in the room.

"Callie!" Jude yelled, running over to me. His large arms enveloped me in a bear hug, lifting me off the kitchen floor and spinning me around.

"Glad you came, sweets." Stef said. Kissing my cheek and patting Wyatt on the shoulder. Slowly the tension in the room broke and I slipped back into that comfortable repertoire of easy living with my family. It reminded me of summers past, sitting around the beach with sunscreen by the buckets, spending the days and nights on the beach, smiling and laughing with each other. Before school and breakups, before we all learned the truth. Before I accepted that I loved him. Lena handed me my usual glass of red, kissing me on the top of my head as she went.

"Don't ever disappear for a month like that again, you're our daughter, we worry about you." I smiled at her.

"Okay." I said. Looking over to see Wyatt in the living room with Jesus and Jude playing some video game, I sighed. "How is he?" I asked

"I'm doing better now that I know you're still alive." He spoke coming into the room. I froze hearing his voice, my eyes darting over to Wyatt who had gone rigid in the living room. Brandon walked over to me, placing a brief kiss to my forehead, my eyes closed and I leaned into him. Relishing the fact that still after a month, his touch could calm my inner worries. He was wearing the shirt I used to steal from him when we were kids, and he was wearing that cologne I loved. I began to wonder if this whole thing wasn't orchestrated.

"Don't touch her." I could hear the venom in his voice before I opened my eyes and looked up at Wyatt. Begging him silently to knock it off.

"Wyatt, please. Go play video games." I pleaded.

"Yeah Wyatt." I groaned while trying to shrug Brandon's arm off of my shoulder.

"Get your hands off of her, Brandon."

"I've had her plenty of times, probably more than you, and before you as well. She likes my touch, don't you Callie?" I glared up at him.

"We shouldn't have come here." I said, standing. I was pushed back into my seat as Wyatt lunged for Brandon, sending the two of them out the open side door. They rolled around on the back deck, each landing punches on the other every few seconds. I stood there, begging them both to stop.

"She's mine." Wyatt spoke. "I deserve her."

"That's the difference between you and me. I don't deserve her, but I love her anyway. She's not a possession." I laughed snidely.

"You both have a funny way of showing it." I said, walking over to Wyatt, slipping his ring off of my finger. "I'm done, with the both of you. When you grow up, give me a call."

Turning my back to the both of them I walked into the kitchen and grabbed my purse. I ignored the yells of my name from the both of them. I smiled sadly at Stef and Lena, gave Jude a kiss and promised him a call shortly. I was in my car before Wyatt reached me, and after Brandon had. He stood in front of the car, his hands on the hood, blue eyes pleading with me to stay. I shook my head, wiped my eyes, put the car in reverse and backed down the street.

My phone began ringing immediately; I ignored it, before powering it down completely. My apartment loomed in my vision and I busted through the front door, not bothering to close it after me. I bee lined for my closet, pulling my luggage from the back, not bothering to fold anything I hefted my clothes from the rack and threw them in. I ran into the bathroom, grabbed all of my toiletries and threw those in there as well. I emptied out my dresser and piled my shoes into my carry on bag.

There was enough gas to get me to LAX and for that I was grateful.

"I'd like to purchase a ticket to Rhode Island." I said to the man behind the counter. "One way. Cash."

I was a flight risk, this they knew before the fell in love with me.

* * *

**A/N: That episode. THAT KISS! Though I have a small feeling that it's all just a dream. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Losing him was blue like I'd never known**

**Missing him was dark gray all alone**

**Forgetting him was like trying to know somebody you've never met**

**But loving him was red**

**Burning red.**

**Taylor Swift – Red **

I walked along the edge of the water with his Anchor Beach sweater wrapped around me. The sun was setting behind me, probably still blazing hot back home. It had been three long months since I had left. I got to watch the leaves grow back onto their branches in small Rhode Island. And today, I walked along a small pond in Hyannis, Massachusetts. There were people camping to my left, and children playing at the edge of the water. April in Massachusetts was still too cold to go swimming, but that didn't stop people from enjoying the landscape. From where I am standing you could see the house I was renting across the pond. It didn't look like much compared to the apartment I used to live in, or even the house I picked out with Brandon. I sighed at the memory, clutching the large sweater closer to my chest.

It was here in this small town, a little over three thousand miles away from home, that I felt I could truly be honest with myself. That I could admit to myself that being this far away from him and not talking to him literally made me sick. That the pain I felt in my gut everyday as I threw up last night's dinner was because I missed him with everything inside of me. And try as I might, after three long months of solitude, I couldn't forget him. A part of me, hell all of me didn't want to forget him. I went to bed dreaming of him lying there holding me to him, his hands tousled in my hair pulling me closer to him for a long languid kiss. His other hand travelling down my side, towards the place where we become one, whole. And just when I actually feel like he's here with me, making love to me in our small cabin, I wake up. Stomach churning, mind reeling, with a cold sweat pooling between my breasts, and slickness between my legs.

Missing him was the worst feeling I had ever felt in the world. It felt as if I had cut off my own arm, but I kept reacting as if it was still there. I barely ate anymore, and water was costing me a fortune because I stood in the shower for hours on end. To make ends meet I took to wedding photography, each time I snapped my camera at a smiling couple, happy in love, it made me just a bit sicker. It was then that I remembered the wedding I had planned with my mother when I was ten years old, shortly before she died. I remember the type of dress I wanted to wear, the cake, the favors, the large church I wanted to be married in.

For the first time in my life I remembered what my life was like before the foster system. I remembered the love my mother had for us, to compensate for my drunk of a father. I remember the long days at the park, and the nights cuddled in my bed. I know now that she was there for me, always.

And so when I woke with the blood pooling between my legs the next morning, I realized the mistake I had made. It was then that I vowed to call him.

* * *

**I swear I really didn't know**

**So I'm sorry, so sorry.**

**Howie Day – Sorry, So Sorry**

He picked up on the first ring, his voice horse. I imagined what he would look like; hair disheveled a scruffy five o'clock shadow. There would be a bottle of whiskey almost empty on the end table, and he would be sleeping on the couch. One arm resting across his chest, the other dragging on the floor. He would be in jeans and a dirty t-shirt. I sighed, my hand reaching out towards California, towards him.

"I need you." I spoke the words so softly into the phone. The tears had already started streaming down my face. I stood in the middle of my makeshift bedroom, the soiled bed behind me, dried blood on the lower half of my body. I looked up into the mirror, my eyes connecting and I recoiled. It hurts when you finally look at yourself and you can't recognize the girl looking back at you.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. "I swear, I didn't know I was pregnant." I heard his hiss. I heard the change in his breathing. I could have sworn I heard all noise end on the other end of the line.

"Pregnant?" He asked. "You are or you were?"

"I'm sorry." I said. Hitting the end call button, I let the phone slip from my hair as I dropped to my knees. My hands wrapped around my stomach, feeling an emptiness that wasn't there yesterday. I knelt like that, tears falling down my face, staining the hard wood floor, for what seemed like hours. I felt the vibrating of my cell phone near me, his face flashing every minute.

* * *

I stood in yet another hospital, my hand resting on my stomach. I wasn't much of a believer but I prayed anyway. I prayed for the sake of the child I was growing inside of me, I prayed for it to have a fighting chance. And if it was already gone as I feared, I prayed that it wouldn't hate me too much. I prayed for myself, and for Brandon. I prayed that they would find me and bring me home. And for the first time in three months, I used my real name and my credit card.

There was a time when I was sixteen and I had to get an ultrasound because of some internal bleeding. I remembered the gel was cool, and I took a slight enjoyment in the jolt it sent through my body as it came in contact with my skin. I remember I had asked for Brandon and Jude to come into the room with me, since Stef and Lena were at work. I remember they each stood by my head. Two men who loved me no matter what I did. I remember it was before I told Brandon that I loved him, that I wanted him. It was before this mess I called life got in the way. That time I stared at the screen, wondering exactly what my insides looked like.

This time I couldn't stand the sight of my body, I couldn't stand myself. The wall across from me had the ugliest wallpaper imaginable. The air was too cool, and when the gel was spread across my belly, I waited for the jolt but it never came. I relaxed my body, the nameless and faceless woman rubbing her wand around my stomach chuckled.

"Everything seems to look good here. You were right to be alarmed with that amount of bleeding. Suffice it to say there were two babies inside you this morning, and one of them didn't make it. But it looks like you have a healthy little boy growing in there." I nodded my head, one hand coming up to wipe the tears from my eyes. "I'm concerned with the size of the baby, and frankly yourself for five months along. At the point most women have a small growth. I'm going to prescribe you some prenatal vitamins. For most women I don't encourage them to eat whatever they are craving, but for you, please try to eat something." I sighed, nodding my understanding.

"Also, you indicated that you've been sick every day for the past three months, so I am giving you some anti-nausea pills, hopefully that will help you put on some baby weight."

"I'm going to put you on bed rest, no flying, no swimming, and no wedding shoots. Just you and a bed. I do suggest you try to walk a bit, with supervision to keep the blood flow going. Do you have someone to come take care of you?" She asked. I nodded yet again.

"The father, he should be on his way here from California."

* * *

**Theres no changin things that we regret,****  
****The best that we can hope for is one more chance.****  
****If the hands of time could just move in reverse,**

**I wouldn't make the same mistake again with her**

**If love ever gives me another try**

**Josh Turner & Trisha Yearwood – Another Try **

It was another two days before he showed up at my door, with the family in tow. I opened the door to their faces, and a small smile broke out on mine. His hand gravitated towards me, and mine towards him. Feeling his fingers gripped in mine yanked me back to myself, it made the leaves a different shade of green. Turned the lavender growing outside my cottage into a beautiful smelling flower, he made the seasons change. The others walked into the house, putting down their luggage, and we stood like this. With him holding my hand and staring into my eyes. Stepping forward he wrapped me in a hug, gripping my body closer to him. I laughed, a loud genuine laugh for the first time in months.

"Careful." I said, resting my hands on his shoulders. I looked down at him, smiling widely. It was scary how instant I perked up when he was around, how much I needed him to survive.

It only took him a moment to understand what I meant and his eyes turned dark. He released me as if I had burned him. Stepping back out onto the porch he slammed his fist into the side of the house, causing me to jump. I shook my head, following him outside. I touched his shoulder and frowned when he flinched from me.

"Let's go for a walk." I said. He watched me for a little while before he followed me down the path towards the lake.

"How could you not know?" he accused, running up behind me. I sighed, turning my head a bit before ducking under a low hanging tree branch.

"I thought I was throwing up from missing you. I was in so much pain because I left, but I knew if I went back nothing would have changed between the three of us." I said to him. "Normally I was good at taking my birth control, but then that storm happened and we, well you know what we did. Moms got into that accident, you left Zoe. I was with you for a whole month before I went back to Wyatt. The timeline fits, but…I really didn't know. I didn't even suspect."

"That's bullshit Callie." He said harshly, bending to pick up a rock before skipping it in the pond. "So are you still pregnant, you were very vague on the phone."

"I am still pregnant." I stopped, turning to look him in the face. "Though, I did lose one of the babies. The other is a little underdeveloped, but with the vitamins and the no holds barred diet I'm on he should be fine. A little underweight, but fine." He grabbed my hand, pulling me closer to him.

"A boy?" I nodded, his hand darted out to lay on my slightly swollen belly. Now that I was paining attention I could see the change in my body, it was stupid that I didn't notice it before. "Are we sure he's mine?" he asked. I nodded.

"I haven't slept with Wyatt since the week after our engagement party." He nodded again. Placing a kiss to my forehead.

When his lips finally met mine on the edge of the pond I decided that the East Coast could also be our home. After three months I heard the birds chirp, I heard a child's laughter. I heard the road of a plane overhead, and the rustle of the wildlife in the forest surrounding us. I heard the rushing of blood through my veins, and I felt him in front of me. For the first time in three months, I exhaled, realizing that I had been holding my breath all this time.

* * *

**She's the giver I wish I could be **

**And the stealer of the covers **

**She's a picture in my wallet **

**And my unborn children's mother **

**She's the hand that I'm holding **

**When I'm on my knees and praying **

**She's the answer to my prayer **

**And she's the song that I'm playing **

**Brad Paisley – She's Everything **

We stayed on the East Coast for a few more weeks, before the ever changing weather got to everyone else. The family decided to fly home, leaving me and Brandon to rent a car and drive the three thousand miles back home. On the day we were leaving I turned to the pond, kneeling down with Brandon's assistance and whispered a thank you for all it had done for me. It may seem silly, but that pond had given me back my family, had turned me from the mess of a blubbering girl I was to the woman with the slightly rounded belly today. Gripping his hand in mine we made our way to the car.

It was a sixty degree day with a slight breeze in the air. I rolled down the window, laying my head on the doorframe, smiling as the wind blew through my hair. I looked over at Brandon, that goofy smile on my face.

"Take a left up here and hop on the interstate." I said. "Drive until you can't anymore." When the car stopped, and the sun was setting in the sky, I opened the door my feet hitting the sand. He came up behind me, one hand on my back.

"What are we doing?" he asked. I looked up at him and smiled.

"We're leaving the United States silly." Gripping his hand I pulled him to the edge where the water met the sand. I turned to him. The wind blowing my hair across my face and of course I had his sweater on.

"When I was in college, and you were all I could think about, I used to drive out here. I used to walk along this beach for hours, thinking that maybe you were doing the same thing back home. I used to stand here, facing this vast ocean, wishing you were here with me, and it was always my plan to bring you back here one day. I would walk to the edge, just like now, and then I would walk out into the ocean. And once I was about here." I said, pausing in my story to walk out into the water. "Yeah, about here, I would drop to my knees and scream out for you. I would pray and scream and cry. I would wish upon every fucking star that you would show up out of no where and make me whole again. It was here, in this freezing water that would heal me for another week from not being able to see you. So, before we drove back home, I wanted to share this with you."

I watched him roll up his pants and wade into the cold water, goose pimples automatically popping up on his skin. He stood by me, intertwining our fingers and he spoke.

"Marry me, Callie." I turned my head to look at him, noticing the sun setting on the water to the right of him.

"And if I say no?" I asked him, wiping my hair out of my face. He turned around to me, shielding me from the wind with his body, one hand on my lower back, the other on my stomach. He kissed my lips softly.

"You won't, because you love me."

"I do love you." I whispered to him, tilting my head back to look into his eyes.

"So say yes." He whispered back, kissing me again.

I smiled, turned away from him and walked back onto the mapped land. He came up behind me, wrapping both arms around me, splaying them widely on my stomach. I nodded, hiding the tears I was shedding from him.

"Yes."

* * *

**A/N: So I am debating ending their story here. I could go on and have them go through the process of planning a wedding, and having their little boy, if I get a serious interest in it. That I don't mind doing. I could even bring back Wyatt, for some kind of legal battle. I just want to know if you guys feel like I should end it or keep going. I may end this story this way and start a sequel, because this one just feels done to me. Let me know. **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Okay, so after reading your reviews and thinking about it over a bottle of wine and a Nicholas Sparks novel I decided to split the story into three parts. Each with their own little ending, I think that's a fair compromise.**

* * *

**Part Two:**

**Forgiving you well she's stronger than I am****  
****You don't look much like a man from where I'm at****  
****It's plain to see desperation showed it's truth****  
****You love her as she loves you with all she has****  
****I guess I should have been more like that**

**Miranda Lambert – More Like Her**

**Two Months Later. **

I stood in the middle of the store with my hands on my hips. Mari was to my left, Lexi and baby Savi to my right. My stomach was rounded, proudly showing that I was eight months along with the tight black t-shirt I was wearing. The skinny jeans I had donned for the day were stretched to perfecting across my belly, and the flats I had managed to squeeze my feet into were uncomfortable to say the least. But I smiled anyway resting my hand on the shelf that had become my belly. I reached up moving my sunglasses to the top of my head.

"I need just about everything." I said to the girls. They looked at me. "What? We've been arguing about what color to paint the nursery, and the house isn't finished being remodeled yet. We're not old pros like Jesus and Lexi here." I explained, waving my hand at Lexi and Savi. They giggled along with me.

"So how about we do a theme, black and white in nature. Musical notes across the walls, with your pictures serving as the decorations." Mari suggested, shrugging her shoulders as if it was the simplest thing in the world. I wrapped my arms around her, smiling proudly.

"I love it."

"Moms suggested it actually." She said, walking over to the cribs.

"I like the black. Everything will be black. White, well it will get dirty let's face it." I smiled, watching Savi sleep in the sling attached to Lexi. I wandered off to the section with the baby clothes, smiling at the sheer size of everything.

"Looks like Wyatt knocked you up huh?" I groaned, recognizing that voice even after almost a year. I turned, holding the small suit jacket to look at her. My eyes went wide taking in her appearance.

"Zoe, it looks like someone knocked you up too. How have you been?" I asked.

"Just dandy after your little boyfriend kicked me out of our house." I smiled sadly at her.

"Wyatt isn't the father." I said, feeling like I needed to correct her. A part of me felt bad, looking at her. But at the same time, I knew that she got everything she deserved.

"You know, Brandon and I would have been married if you didn't constantly open your legs for him." I looked at her smiling, once again.

"You're probably right, but when two people are destined to be together, it happens." I said, reaching out with my left hand to grab a white button down onesie and the matching pants to go with the jacket I was holding. She grasped my hand in hers, pulling it to her face. The look she wore was murderous.

"That's the ring Brandon kept in his top drawer. The one I thought was for me. Of course he would have bought you something so extravagant. How could I have been so dumb to think he actually loved me?" She said, gasping at the six carat sparkler on my finger. Today was a good day with the swelling; it was nice to be able to wear my ring. "I should have known that you would run to him the minute I was out of the picture, you're trash." I laughed.

"Okay Zoe," I said, evening out my tone to something that would be considered acceptable for indoors. "You got hurt, I was the main reason behind it and I'm sorry but let's face it. You were a bitch to everyone. Texting while mom was fighting for her life. He left you, of his own accord. When he left you I was still with Wyatt, still going to marry Wyatt. Hell, even after you were out of the picture I was still going to marry Wyatt. How things happened is none of your business, none of us owes you an explanation." She scoffed.

"You of all people owe me an explanation. You were sleeping with my fiancé!" She screeched. I nodded my head.

"I was sleeping with him long before he was your fiancé." I said. "And yes, while he was your fiancé. And even right after he was your fiancé. And last night for that matter. And this morning as well." I tried to walk around her, but she shuffled into my path. Looking me in the eye.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because I love him Zoe. Because when we kiss the world stops and everything else fades away. Because we were build for each other on a chemical level. Because no matter what you did, you just weren't me." I spat at her. She finally let me pass. I began to walk away from her.

"It's Brandon's baby, mine I mean." She said. My blood ran cold and I cried out, grasping my stomach, doubling over in pain.

* * *

**She was on his arm while he was playing pool**

**Just like I used to do**

**She kissed him while I got a beer**

**She didn't think I'd show up here**

**I'm a crazy ex-girlfriend**

**Miranda Lambert – Crazy Ex-Girlfriend**

I sat on the hospital bed flipping through a bridal magazine. I had a stack of post it's on the side of me, tabbing things as I went. Casually swapping books with Mari as we both searched, planning my perfect wedding to the perfect guy. We were laughing hysterically when Brandon ran through the door.

"I'm sorry; I just got out of the studio." He said, turning around in a circle while running his fingers through his hair. I smiled up at him, showing him the dress made entirely out of swan feathers. Mari started laughing at his expression and I followed soon after.

"It was Braxton Hicks babe, my body is just preparing me for labor. I did have some spotting so they are monitoring me and giving us fluids. I was a little dehydrated." I said, leaning up a bit to kiss his lips. He stood over me and laid a hand on my stomach.

"We have to talk though." I said to him my face turning serious.

"About what?" he asked, kissing my lips again. I smiled.

"Well, isn't this cozy." Zoe spoke. I looked over to the door to see her standing there, her hands on her stomach.

"That." I said, pointing at her with my closed magazine. "She crawled back into our lives today, apparently forever." I said, turning to look at Brandon as Zoe walked into the room and made herself comfortable.

"What do you mean forever?" he asked me. "I broke up with her." I looked at her his eyes following my gaze. It only took a moment for things to come together in his mind. I stared up at him, watching his brow furrow together, as he pieced their three years together. Especially the last few months. He laid his hand over mine, the other still on my stomach. His eyes bore into mine, and he spoke with such fierceness.

"It's impossible. I was always careful." Mari looked up from the magazine laughing. Her eyes switching from me back to him.

"Not always, you knocked Callie up while she was engaged to Wyatt." She said, chuckling. I laughed along with her, tossing a few of my post its at her head. She dodged them, bringing the magazine up to cover her head.

"Callie was different. I didn't use protection with her because I love her." All movement stopped in the room at his proclamation. His head turning to Zoe who sat motionless in the corner.

"I'm sorry Zoe that came out wrong." She nodded preparing herself to stand.

"I'm sure it did. Much like everything else in our relationship, you only say the right things to her." She hissed at him. Walking over to the door she paused.

"We were happy once, before she came back." She said, walking out of the room. Her departure left a heavy blanket of hurt over the room. Mari looked up at Brandon, her eyes steeled against her brother.

"That was harsh, B." she muttered. "No matter how true the statement was, you don't go shattering people like that." She stood, gathering her purse, and kissing my cheek. She placed the rolled up magazines in her bag and walked to the door.

"Callie, I will set up the nursery tomorrow. Get some rest. Love you both." And she was gone as well.

"Are you disappointed in me too?" he asked, sounding much like the sixteen year old I met eleven years ago. I smiled up at him.

"You're not perfect, this I already knew." I said, waiting for him to kiss me again. And when it finally came the sound of beeping stopped, the yells from the nurses and other patients died out, and the lights dimmed to a soft glow. When the right one comes along, the universe gives you so many clues, and if you pay attention. You just know.

* * *

**I know they say you can't go home again  
I just had to come back one last time  
Ma'am I know you don't know me from Adam  
But these handprints on the front steps are mine**

**Up those stairs in that little back bedroom  
Is where I did my homework and I learned to play guitar  
I bet you didn't know under that live oak  
My favorite dog is buried in the yard**

**Miranda Lambert – The House That Built Me**

I laid beside him with my head on his chest and a pillow between my legs to help support my lower back. My fingers lazily drew pattern on his upper body, trying to easily coax him out of his sleep. He had one arm curled under my head, pulling me into his body, the other came over his stomach slightly, so just the tips of his fingers could rest on my bare belly. I smiled at the sight. I moved slightly, preparing myself to sit up slowly. My right arm reached out to the bedside table, grabbing the small packet of pills I left sitting there the night before. I took them and looked back over to my sleeping companion. He had curled his body towards mine, a slight whimper emitting from his mouth when he realized I was no longer resting beside him.

The warm water of the shower cascaded down my body relaxing away any pains I had woken with this morning and when I returned to our bedroom, well his old bedroom in our childhood home, he was sitting up in bed with a stack of sheet music in his hand. He stood up quickly, tossing the music back into a pile and quickly coming towards me. His hands slipped around my bare waist, his lips kissing my neck softly.

"You look gorgeous." He whispered into my wet hair. I laughed while pushing him off of me slightly.

"I look like a whale. I feel like a whale." I moaned, looking down to my hands and feet, noticing the swelling.

"Still beautiful to me." He retorted before grabbing a towel from the stack on the desk and heading towards the shower. I sighed, preparing myself for a long day.

* * *

The drive into upstate California took nearly ten hours of our time, and it was nearing dusk when we approached the small neighborhood in Sacremento where I was born and partially raised. We toured the streets, walking along hand in hand. I stopped short when I finally saw it. The small ranch house on the dead end street. The pink shutters had long since been painted an awful shade of green, the house a sage color now. There on the front lawn was the tire swing my father had put up for me, and it came back to me clear as day how I used to swaddle baby Jude in his blanket and place him in the space between the sides. I would slowly rock him back and forth to sleep so he wouldn't have to hear my father's yells, or my mother's cries. So that he wouldn't have to witness what I had.

And as if my body was acting of its own accord I was walking down the street, leaving Brandon trailing behind me. And I smiled as I walked closer to the house, noticing that there on the base of the tree my initials were still carved. And on the stone to the right of it, my handprints were still there. I laughed a large genuine laugh, the sun had set now, and I knew that we needed to get back to our car. I smiled at Brandon, looking past his quizzical look, and returned the way we came.

"We have to come back tomorrow." I said to him.

* * *

The next morning dawned with a blazing hot sun. And I knew there would be no walking today, so we both piled into the car. I directed him back to my childhood home, explaining to him as we went the importance of each and every detail.

"And Jude, he was just a baby, but I stood him up for my mother and she marked how tall he was. Then it was my turn and she would always remark at how tall I was getting." I gushed on. Noticing him smiling at me as we drove along.

I should have known that my happiness wouldn't have lasted too long, or even at all. We pulled up to the house, and my mind automatically went from happy to sad. From glad to mad. Because there, staring down at me from a glass window pane, was a face I had never wanted to see again. His eyes locked with mine and we stayed like that for a long time. I hadn't changed much from when I was a baby, in fact I looked more like my mother now than anything. The curtain of the window slid back into place and he was gone from my sight.

I turned my face to Brandon, silently holding back the tears that were forming behind my eyes. Giving him a small sad smile.

"But that was where the good memories ended. Let's go." I said. Gesturing to him to pull out onto the street. He turned the car on and put it in drive before there was a knock on my window. He looked over at me, surprised to see the man standing on the other side of the door. Brandon as always, thinking he was doing the right thing, rolled down the window with a large smile on his lips. The man spoke, effectively wiping the smile off of his face.

"Hi Calliope." I shuddered at the use of my full name, turning my head to look out the windshield.

"Hi dad."

* * *

**A/N2: Obviously I was in a Miranda Lambert kind of mood today. I didn't even notice that all of the songs I chose were hers until the end. **


	7. Chapter 7

**This was my temporary home, it's not where I belong**

**Windows and rooms that I'm passing through**

**This was just a stop on the way to where I'm going**

**I'm not afraid because I know**

**This was my temporary home**

**Carrie Underwood – Temporary Home**

I sat in my childhood living room staring at pictures of myself as a baby, Brandon had clasped my hand tightly in his own to try and quell my shaking. I sat there, staring straight ahead at their wedding picture; the gown my mother wore looked to be made of silk chiffon and lace. He was speaking to me, this I knew for sure, but I couldn't bring myself to pay attention, the glass of lemonade he handed me looked so inviting but I placed it on the table in front of me, still staring straight ahead. It was only when he laid a hand on my shoulder that I snapped back to the present. I glared up at him.

"Don't you touch me." I hissed at him. He pulled his hand back, smiling gently at me. Locking eyes with Brandon he chuckled.

"Her mother was like that when she was pregnant." I looked at him, eyes ablaze. Brandon spoke before I could.

"She let's me touch her, clearly its people who killed her mother she has a problem with." He said, tone level, eyes hard. I gave a curt nod of my head. Smiling sideways at him.

"Oh," was all that he said. "You look good, Callie." He continued, offering me a scone. I shook my head.

"Thanks." I replied. "You look like shit." I finally took a sip of the lemonade. The crisp burst of flavor on my tongue was delicious and I closed my eyes and sighed. Brandon smiled at me, laying his hand on my knee.

"She loves anything lemon." He spoke, finally taking my cue and sipping his own glass.

"She used to suck on lemon slices when she was a kid. Weirdest thing." I snapped my eyes open.

"You don't get to talk about my childhood." I spat. "You were drunk for most of it. Slapping mom around for the rest of it. She begged you, she cried and screamed and begged you to let her drive that day. You killed her; you almost killed me and Jude. And your family, none of them wanted us, not a single person. So we went into the system. Our first foster home didn't feed us at all. I had to steal extra food from the cafeteria. Then we got split up and I didn't see him again until he was eight. Two fucking years! Then when I was twelve, we got placed at an elderly woman's house for two years, and I thought it was permanent, until she died. Then from there at fourteen we were placed with the Olmstead's who had an older son, who raped me for sport. Then from there it was to another group home, and then we went to a home where the foster dad beat on Jude. So I took a bat to his precious car. I landed in juvie where I got my ass beat. And finally, I landed with the Foster's.

"My life sucked until I was placed with them. Until I met this guy right here. Until he stood in front of a guy with a gun pointed to his head so that I could get Jude back. This, he, is a real man. You are a pathetic excuse for one." I said, my hand coming to rest on my stomach. My breathing was coming in short pants.

"I think I may have peed on your couch." I whispered, ending the conversation effectively. Brandon look at me, completely horrified.

"Oh, fuck!" he said. Jumping to his feet and gingerly pulling me up with him. "Your water broke." He said, looking into my eyes a wide smile spread across his face.

"Well it's that just dandy." I retorted.

"Son," my father began "you should probably get her to the hospital now." Brandon nodded.

"Right, where's the hospital?"

"I'll bring my car around front."

* * *

**You're gonna fly with every dream you chase**

**You're gonna cry, but know that that's okay**

**Sometimes life's not fair, but if you hang in there**

**You're gonna see that sometimes bad is good**

**We just have to believe things work out like they should**

**Life has no guarantees, but always loved by me**

**You're gonna be**

**Reba McIntire – You're Gonna Be (Always Loved By Me)**

And I stared down at him, with his small blue hat on, swaddled in his striped blanket. I smiled as he yawned, spreading those tiny arms out as wide as he could. My hair was pulled back off of my face, sweat dried on my forehead. There was an ache against my entire body, but a peace had come over me as I stared at my son. I brushed my lips softly against his forehead, inhaling his unique scent. And I vowed to always love him no matter what he did. I had done the count at least a hundred times over by now, but I did it again. Ten tiny fingers with ten tiny toes, two matching arms and two matching legs. A healthy set of lungs and a small head of hair. And when he opened his eyes for the slightest second, I saw the love already shining in them. He looked so much like his father, he was Brandon all the way. In this world it was only him and I at the moment. I ignored the soft knock on the door, and I certainly didn't pay attention to the nurse announcing that our family was here. For right now, this precious baby boy was all I needed in this world.

I felt the gentle brush of lips to my forehead, calling my attention away from my baby for the slightest second to look at Brandon and scan the rest of the room.

"Hi guys." I whispered, wanting my precious son to stay sleeping just a tiny bit longer.

"Callie he's gorgeous." Stef said, peering over Brandon to get a good look at her grandson. He wasn't her grandchild, but he was her first grandson and that made it a special moment still. "Can I hold him?" she asked. I smiled up at her as Brandon spoke.

"She hasn't even let me hold him since the first time. They've been like this for hours." He said, and I watched as Stef dropped back a few steps. I looked at her and nodded.

"Yes, of course you can hold him." I said. The tears rushed to her eyes as I handed him off to her. My arms felt weightless without him, and I wanted the comfort he brought to me back. I wanted to stay in our own little world for just a while longer, but my heart melted at the sight of Lena and Stef cooing over our son, kissing him, blanketing him in the same love they covered me in when I came to them. This was my family. I was glad they were here.

"What's his name?" Marianna asked, waving her phone in front of me to get my attention. My eyes were following him around the room, my body switching focus to the little man in his grandmother's eyes. "Steven is at your house, he painted the nursery a week ago, he needs to write his name on the wall." She said clearly exhausted, and frustrated with my lack of response. I nodded looking up at Brandon.

"Brayden James Foster." I said, warmth filling my body as everyone turned to look at me. I smiled as Brandon reached down and captured my lips in a passionate kiss. Mari left the room to make the call, while Stef and Lena looked at me quizzically.

"I thought you hadn't thought of a name yet." Lena implored. I looked over to her as she was now holding my son, and nodded.

"We hadn't, but sometimes you just know." I said, reaching my hands out for my boy who was starting to whimper softly. As soon as he was placed back into my arms he settled. I looked back to Brandon and spoke again. "Sometimes, you just know."

* * *

**You're doing all you can to get in them old jeans.**

**You want that body back, you had at seventeen.**

**Baby, don't get down; don't worry about a thing.**

**Cause the way you feel them out hey, that's alright with me.**

**I don't want the girl you used to be.**

**And if you ain't noticed, the kids are fast asleep.**

**Trace Adkins – One Hot Mama**

And it was a cold blistering Tuesday three months later that sat the three of us in our new living room. I was perusing prints from the latest shoot, deciding which ones were to go into the ad, and so far I had nothing. Brayden was in his bassinette, sound asleep, and Brandon was flipping through the channels on the television all thought of his sheet music tossed aside. He was frustrated to say the least, with the lack of sex and I tried as hard as I could to make it up for him in other ways. Just this morning I surprised him in the shower, got down on my knees, and well you know what happened from there. At this point I was pretty frustrated with the lack of intimacy between us as well.

With a final huff I threw the prints onto the coffee table before turning to him. I grinned mischievously before pouncing on him. My legs straddled him on the couch, my mouth going for his neck. His hands came up to grip my ass tightly, pulling me down onto his already hardened crotch. I hissed, my body betraying me in all sorts of ways. There was a tingle, and I knew that it had been far too long. My hand reached down and unbuttoned his jeans, taking care not to scratch him with my nails as I grabbed him. The growl that ripped from his throat excited me in more way than one. And when I started to pump he paused, his eyes turning murky.

"Was that the door?" he asked huskily, his teeth taking my lip between them and pressing gently. I shook my head.

"Ignore it." I said. But as soon as I did there was a louder bang, and we heard the key in the lock. I scrambled off of him as quickly as I could, fixing my shirt as he covered himself with the throw blanket.

"Mom! Hey, " he said. His eyes questioning as she carried a bassinet into the living room with her.

"Hey yourself, we were coming over to surprise you guys, but imagine our surprise when we came across this little girl on your doorstep." I jumped up, immediately searching in the sides of the bassinette for a letter, and there on the blanket was a stitched Z. I clapped my hand to my mouth, backing away slowly, before falling back onto the couch.

"What is it Callie?" Brandon asked noticing the tears well up in my eyes. I pointed to the baby,

"That's Zoe's baby." I said.

* * *

**A/N: Okay so this is going to be the last chapter until Monday. My excuses are I'm a Maid of Honor in a wedding at the end of the month, and I sort of have to go deal with wedding stuff each and every weekend. If you haven't read my story I Remember please do, I would like some feedback. Sorry about the semi cliffie. It's also about a thousand words shorter than my other chapters, but that's because I'm already late to a dress fitting. So sorry about that too! Remember constructive criticism helps. :)**


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Like promised, an update on Monday morning as soon as I got out of work. Don't hate me for this chapter by the way, I'm sorry.

* * *

"**It's hard at times, but it makes a kid strong in ways that most people can't understand. Teaches them that even though people are left behind, new ones will inevitable take their place; that every place has something good - and bad - to offer. It makes a kid grow up fast."**

**Nicholas Sparks - **_**The Lucky One**_

I held that little girl close to my chest as Brandon spoke to his mother's co-workers. My mind and heart aching for the small girl in my arms. Stef had Brayden in her arms, rocking him back and forth, trying to dull out the commotion around him. Our eyes locked across the room, and I'm sure she had seen the look many times from Lena, and she knew. And I knew in my heart that when I lifted this precious child out of her cradle and saw the note lying underneath her, that we would never see Zoe again. In the envelope was a birth certificate, with no name printed, listing me as her mother, and Brandon as her father. I sighed heavily, lowering my head to hide the tears that were silently falling down my face. I saw his feet before I saw him coming. He was reaching out for her, trying to take her from me. My head whipped up to meet his eyes, accusation in the very depths of them.

"I'm going to give her to social services, babe." I shook my head.

"Like hell you will." I hissed at him. "She's not going a damn place, and if you try to take her, I will never forgive you." He let his hands drop to his side, turning back to the officers at the door.

"I guess, we're keeping her." He said with a smile. Sinking into the couch beside me, placing his arm around my shoulder.

Her blue eyes stared back up at me, and for a fraction of a second I could see Brandon in her. In my hand was the birth certificate, her birthday the same as Brayden's. I smiled at the thought of the two of them growing up together. Our small family complete for the moment. Lena came out of the kitchen with a tray full of mugs in her hand, and with a heavy sigh she sat next to her wife, placing a kiss to her cheek. She leaned back, closing her eyes, and rubbing her temples.

"Hayden." I said aloud. "Would somebody please write Hayden on here?" I reached out, waving the certificate around. "You like that name don't you? You and your brother are Brayden and Hayden." I spoke to the small child.

"What's her middle name going to be?" Stef asked from across the room. I smiled up at her.

"Grace. For she is graceful, like her grandmother's. For she is strong, like all of the females in her life. For she is a Foster." I spoke each word looking into my brand new daughter's face.

"Hayden Grace Foster. It flows off the tongue." Brandon said. "We can turn my office into another nursery. I can get Jesus and Steven over here tomorrow morning to paint it."

"I'd like it to be yellow and grey." I said, immediately stripping her of the pink blanket. "Zoe wore a lot of pink, and Hayden doesn't need to ever be reminded of the woman who no longer wants her." Lifting the small child I cuddled her closer to my chest.

"We have to take her to the doctor in the morning. Make sure she got her shots, find out her blood type. We have to get her on the insurance, and put her in our will." I muttered, running off a list of everything we had to get done in the next twenty-four hours. "We need double everything, a crib, car seat-clothes! Though I guess I can always raid Lexi's house for those, Jesus only seems to have girls."

"Babe," B said, effectively derailing my train of thought. "Let's just get to know her first."

"What's there to know? She hasn't cried once, not even when she was left on our doorstep. She's a fighter, and she will never know that she wasn't wanted. I won't ever destroy her that way, and neither will you. Zoe didn't even list herself as the mother. I am her mother. I know my daughter. I may have only known her for a couple of hours, but I know her. We both get a clean start, baby girl."

"Well, how about we bring both Brayden and Hayden upstairs, they're small enough to sleep in the same crib for tonight." Lena said, standing from her position on the couch. I shook my head.

"Could you roll the pack and play into our room, I want my babies close to me tonight." I said standing with my daughter in my arms. Lena nodded, taking her from me. I watched them walk up the stairs before turning back to Brandon.

"I know we didn't discuss it, but I can't let that baby go into the system. I can't let her feel how I felt all those years. It's cruel." I said, leaning my head on his shoulder.

"I know, babe. I'm sorry my crazy ex is well…crazy." I smiled up at him.

"She may be crazy, but she just brought us a daughter. One I didn't have to lug around for 9 months." I said, trying to make light of the situation.

"Yeah," he said. "I guess we didn't loose that other baby after all, she was always meant to come to us in this way." I sighed, running my nails lightly down his back.

"You're right."

* * *

**In this house:**

**We do real**

**We do mistakes**

**We do I'm sorry**

**We do fun**

**We do hugs**

**We do second chances**

**We do happy**

**We do forgiveness**

**We do really loud, really well**

**We do family**

**We do love.**

**Anonymous – We Do Love**

**8 Months Later **

"I can't find Hayden's other shoe!" I yelled out of our daughter's bedroom. Brandon came rushing out of Brayden's room, naked baby in tow, with a single purple shoe, chucking it through her open door.

"Where are the diapers?" he asked. I laughed, going into my son's room with a fully clothed daughter, tamed hair and pacifier in her mouth. She sat on my hip, blue eyes wide. As soon as she saw her father her arms flung out in front of her, squirming for him.

"Dada!" she screeched. I laughed.

"How'd you do that?" he asks, looking down at her.

"Here, let me." I say, handing him our daughter, and gently running the washcloth over my son's head. "Daddy doesn't know what he's doing" I spoke gently. Within minutes the bath was done and he was clothed, ready for the day. Brandon leaned down and kissed my forehead.

"You're amazing." He said.

"I know!" and I walked out of the door with him trailing behind me. We strapped the kids into the car, and were on our way.

"I can't believe Savi is one already! Time is flying by, I can't handle it." I continued, wiping a small tear from the corner of my eye. If you would have told me 11 years ago that I would be driving in a BMW SUV to a birthday party for a niece that Jude didn't create, with two kids of my own, I would have laughed and told you to go get your head checked. But here I wasscrolling through emails and singing along to the children's songs playing from the stereo.

"We'll she will be one in a month, this is just the only time we had to have the party. You know, since we will be getting married next month." He said, his eyes roaming down my body. I glanced over at him.

"Watch the road there big guy," I muttered, pointing with my phone out of the windshield.

"I noticed there's no dress, anywhere in the house." He said, checking the rearview and smiling at the children. I placed my head back on the rest and sighed.

"You think I would be stupid enough to leave my dress in the house?" I asked, rolling my head to look at his profile. He chuckled, shaking his.

"No, I think the Callie I know and love hasn't gotten her dress yet." He stopped the car at a red light, turning to look at me. "Not getting cold feet are you?" He asked, taking my hand in his.

"Lights green." I spoke, avoiding the question at all costs.

When I was a young girl, I used to dream about my wedding day. I would sit up for hours pouring over magazines with my mother. I had always dreamed that my father would walk me down the aisle. Now the only man besides Jude that was enough of an influence in my life to walk me down the aisle was the man I was marrying. I looked back over to him,

"Do you think moms would walk me down the aisle?" I asked aloud, he pulled the car into their driveway, signaling that we had arrived to the party.

"I'm pretty sure they would love the very idea of it." He said, leaning over to kiss my forehead.

"Who's ready for a party?" I asked, turning to my children. "Mommy is ready for a glass of red, and Daddy is ready for a can of coke." He laughed.

"I'm driving home then?" I nodded my head before picking up Hayden, cradling her to my chest. I placed a kiss on the top of her head, inhaling the lavender scent I washed both children in. I sighed.

"Yes you are."

* * *

**Happiness feels a lot like sorrow**

**Let it be, you can't make it come or go**

**But you are gone, not for good but for now**

**Gone for now feels a lot like gone for good**

**Happiness is a firecracker sitting on my headboard**

**Happiness was never mine to hold**

**Careful child, light the fuse and get away**

'**Cause happiness throws a shower of sparks**

**The Fray – Happiness**

I sat at the table, holding my son on my lap, and talking with Stef and Lena. Hayden was being her typical daddy's girl, and was off with Brandon while he stood with Jesus, Steven, and a group of the other dads. I smiled smoothing my son's hair down on his head before kissing him. I looked up to moms, clearing my throat.

"Yes, sweets?" Stef asked, taking a sip from her soft drink. The condensation on the side of the can glistened in the California sun. I inhaled deeply, looking her in the eye.

"As you know, Brandon and I are getting married next month. And I know we're not traditional in the sense of the word, but the only men that I care enough about are in the wedding party, and since you two have been my moms for years, I was wondering if you would possibly walk me down the aisle?" I said, the end of the sentence reflecting how badly I wanted them to say yes.

"Oh, baby." Lena said, coming around to wrap her arms around my shoulder. Stef had stood, forgetting about her drink to kneel down in front of me. I clung to my son for dear life, thinking that this way it, they were going to tell me no, that they would never and could never.

"We thought you'd never ask." Stef said.

"We'd be honored." Lena finished. I exhaled, the tension leaving my body.

"Uh, Callie, Brandon. There is someone here to see you." Lexi said from the gate, blocking my view from the person standing there. I stood passing my son off to his grandmother's. There was a pit of dread in my stomach, knotting it, twisting it, literally making me sick. My legs were shaking violently, my shoulders hunched just a bit. Brandon came up behind me and I grabbed Hayden for support, a life line to cling to, a pillar to draw strength from. I kissed her cheek, smiling down at her before we walked to the gate.

Brandon walked out before me, and I knew as soon as I walked right into his back that things weren't good. Jude stood off to the side, his shoulders squared, his boyfriend looking on in shock. I could see Lexi talking to moms, giving them the update. I saw the change in their demeanor.

"What is it?" I said, sidestepping Brandon, finally able to see what they all say.

"NO!" I shouted. My arms automatically wrapping around Hayden, pressing her face into my chest.

"Yes." She said, and the man in the suit next to her handed Brandon a stack of papers. I turned my back to her and the man. Whispering softly as tears ran down my cheeks. Lena had rushed over and I quickly passed Hayden to her, slamming the gate after her. I heard the lock slide into place. Brandon wrapped his arm around me. I drew my strength from him.

"You gave her up." I said. "Left her on our doorstep in the middle of a rainstorm! You put our names on the birth certificate. I'm her mother. I've fed her, and bathed her, and sat up with her when she was sick. I am hers. She is mine." I wiped the tears away from under my eyes, hardening my gaze at her.

"You will not take my kid."

"DNA will prove that she is my child. I carried her, and when I woke in the hospital after complications from my surgery I was out of it. I left her someplace safe until I was able to take care of her. Now I can." She walked around me towards the gate, proceeding to bang on it. I looked to Jude, the panic evident in my eyes. I threw the stack of papers at him.

"Can she do this?" I said to him. Alex, Jude's boyfriend was a social worker, was on the phone with his supervisor, trying to get someone to come out immediately. Jude, who studied so hard to become a lawyer, sighed, nodding his head.

"They got the removal petition signed by a judge. Alex is going to see if he can intervene." I nodded, the tears flowing down my face. My mascara tasted bitter on my lips. My breathing was heavy and shallow. My heart thumping a mile a minute. I crouched down, my knees hitting the pavement and heaved. This couldn't be happening to me, I thought. I was a good person, I took care of Hayden, I love her. She's mine.

"You can't have my daughter." I said again, lifting my head up to stare at her. I looked like a fool on my hands and knees in the driveway, tears cutting a line down my face. Brandon stood off to the side on the phone, no doubt calling his father's new wife. "You can have her over my dead body."

"Or I can call the police." Zoe said, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Callie, you have to let her take Hayden." Alex said, placing his hand on my shoulder. I jerked away from him.

"Nobody is taking my daughter anywhere." I screamed, walking through the house and into the yard to hold her to my chest. I sobbed into her hair as my family continued to look at me with such sympathy. By this time other social workers had arrived. Bill was there, off to the side looking at me with such sadness.

"Bill, please." I said, begging him to not take her from me. He shook his head. "Please Bill, she's my daughter. Don't take my baby."

"I'm sorry Callie."

My body hit the ground as they pulled her out of my hands. An emptiness settling over me. I cried into my hands, my heart breaking as her shrieks filled my ears. And for the rest of the night all I could hear was her repeated yells of.

"Dada, no."

* * *

**A/N:** So most of you don't know me from a hole in the wall, allow me to introduce myself. I am MusicalCatharsis, pleased to meet you. I play the piano, the guitar, and I sing. When I was eight I came home to an empty house, literally no furniture in sight, and a note from my "loving" biological mother, saying that she had moved and I was in charge of my younger siblings. I called my father, who drove an hour to get me and my younger brother and sister. My sister, who I now have custody of, went to live with my grandmother, my brother and I with my dad. Flash forward 14 years, my grandmother dies of cancer, and I a 21 year old get a 14 year old daughter left on my doorstep. This is where these thoughts come from


	9. Chapter 9

**Today could have been the day**

**That you blow out your candles**

**Make a wish as you close your eyes**

**Today could have been the day**

**Everybody was laughing**

**Instead I just sit here and cry**

**Daughtry – Gone Too Soon**

I stood there, my hand reaching out to her blanket resting on the side of her crib. My fingers gripped the blanket tightly, pulling it up to my face. I inhaled her scent, letting the grief consume me. Sighing deeply, I roughly wiped the tears away from my eyes. It wasn't that long ago when I could hear her silly babble wafting through the house, alerting me that she was awake. I could still smell her and if I closed my eyes I could imagine that she was still here with me. But she wasn't.

I could feel the pain in my gut, the pain in my heart, gripping me so tightly, squeezing everything out of me. I can remember the way she cuddled into my chest, holding her closer to my beating heart as she cried. And her smile; if I concentrated enough I could still see her beautiful face smiling up at me. I cried, the sobs wracking my body, violently forcing me to be sick. And I was, ran to the bathroom and heaved everything that was inside of me. She was gone, as in gone for now, gone for good, or so it seemed. She was gone like I was for that short period of time when I was sixteen. Gone like the four years I was in university. Gone. Taken away as in kidnapped, but legally.

And I crawled my way back into her bedroom, looking around at the books I never got to read to her. Or the clothes I bought that she could never wear. I glared at the crib that would never get turned into a day bed, or a full size one at that. I was angry with the world, angry with my son because he was here and she wasn't. Angry at Brandon because he could just go on about his day as if nothing had changed. Angry with myself for standing up there and getting married without my daughter. Angry with the world because the word nonrefundable kept getting thrown around. I was angry, and broken, and scared.

I landed on the rug in front of her crib, I could see the discarded stuffed rabbit that lay strewn under the damn thing. It's legs were splayed out, one ear covering its face, the other bent behind it at a weird angle. Mr. Hops, his name was, he was her favorite, Hayden couldn't sleep without him. And I was angry still at the fact that my daughter was screaming her head off without her favorite sleeping buddy. I sobbed harder, my hands balling into fists that slowly began to pound on the floor.

Hadn't I had enough heartbreak in my lifetime? It's the same question that I asked myself over and over again, day in and day out, but I never seemed to come up with an answer. The world always seemed to throw a no at me in response and deal me a new blow. Always seemed to know exactly what I didn't want to hear, and for the universe I guess my pain was its sustenance. I broke surely so the world could keep spinning.

And it pained me so much to hear my sons babble from the next room, to hear how happy he was, how oblivious to the plight our family was going through. Try as I might my legs would not work, could not work without both of my children under my roof. I lay curled on my side before my daughter's crib, my left cheek pressed to her carpet, soaking up my silent tears as I listen to my son's chatter, and then his whimpers, and when he turns to wailing for attention I slowly drift off to sleep.

I awoke to silence, and a glare from my now husband. Sitting up gingerly I brushed the hair out of my face, wiping at my eyes as I went. He sighed, kneeling down before me.

"I know you miss her, and I miss her too." He spoke, running his finger down my cheek, curling his hand behind my neck and resting our foreheads together. "But she is not our only child. Brayden needs his mom, Callie." Brandon placed a kiss to my forehead, stood, and closed the door behind him as he left.

Once again my fingers reached out to her blanket, inhaling her scent.

**When it's good, then it's good, it's so good till it goes bad**

**Till you're trying to find the you that you once had**

**I have heard myself cry, never again**

**Broken down in agony just trying to find a friend**

**P!nk – Sober**

* * *

The smoke filled my lungs, burning my nose, and the glass of whiskey neat sitting in front of me was taking me back to several years ago. Taking me back to days filled with lecture halls, and nights filled with dirty bars and grab ass men. Taking me back to the bottom shelf whiskey Tanya and I used to spill down our throats until we were drunk enough to forget our names. Drunk enough to forget him I should say. I remember the way I used to switch it up each and every night, tequila, or whiskey, or vodka. Sometimes all three. I remember the night I let a faceless man fuck me outside the bathrooms with people watching. I remember screaming out his name or what I thought was his name.

The vomit that spilled down the front of my shirt that night on the way to my car was a warning sign, one I should have seen. I climbed into the driver seat and fumbled with the keys, silently telling myself that it was only five miles up the road, I would be fine. I remember the next morning waking up in the ditch on the side of the road, my gorgeous camry smashed to bits. And as I pulled out my phone to call Tanya to pick me up I vowed to never drink again.

At first it was easy to focus on my studies. To decline the invites of going to the bar or to the club, but that was because hidden in my dorm room were smalls flasks of alcohol, I had squirreled them away, to get me through the hard times. Just a sip, I would say, to help me finish writing this paper, just a sip. And soon when the sips were gone and all that was left was a bone dry metal flask, I would find myself staring out the window, my mouth dry and my head aching for more.

I knew then that I needed to see him, needed to feel him. And so I called, and his voice washed over me, dulling my headache to a mild roar, and if I closed my eyes I could feel his dick inside of me, making me feel things I never had before. But, that was before. After listening to him speak for a few minutes I would always hang up and return to my school work, sated for another day or so.

It's the shrill ringing of my cell phone and the bartender asking me if I was ever going to finish my drink that brought me back to the present. Snaps my mind forward 8 years or so, and reminds me just how fucked up my life had become. I scan the room, but not a single soul here knows me, or my past. I heave a sigh and reach forward, my fingers clasping tightly around the glass of whiskey, pulling it closer to me.

**Wake up to a sunny day**

**Not a cloud up in the sky**

**And then it starts to rain**

**My defenses hit the ground**

**And they shatter all around**

**So open and exposed**

**But I found strength in the struggle**

**Face to face with my troubles**

**Lindsey Haun – Broken**

* * *

My gel manicure is still shiny and that gives me a small semblance of normality, the white line of the French manicure is neat and that makes me calm inside, the fact that I did have control over something. I am sitting on the left hand side of a glass table with Brandon on my left and Jude on my right. Across from me sits Zoe and much to my surprise Wyatt. Their lawyer is late, as usual. Sitting on the lap of some woman outside of the glass office is my daughter. I can see that her hair is not done, and she is in pink. I shudder at the thought. I tap my nail against the table, sighing heavily. I look to Jude, smiling at him, silently asking his permission to leave the room. When he nods I stand swiftly, and exit the room on my black heels. I hear her yell out for me from across the room and I freeze.

My instincts are telling me to run to her, to grab her and run, never looking back. But there are witnesses everywhere, and it wouldn't look to good in my case.

"Mama!" she screams, her arms reaching out for me, body squirming to get to me. I walk closer to her, and kneel about ten feet away.

"I love you, Hayden. When you're older you will understand. Be a good girl for mommy, yeah? Be nice for the lady." I say, blowing her a kiss. She nods at me, not fully understanding. The tears in her eyes break my heart and I let out a sob when she nods her head and says ok.

"They sure do grow up fast." I stand, fixing my skirt and turn to look at him. Wyatt still towers above me, making me shrink lower to avoid his gaze. I nod.

"They do." He laughs, and steps closer to me.

"I wished for months after you left me that you could feel the same amount of pain that I did." I looked at him.

"Is this why you are doing this?" I ask. He sighs.

"Yes, and no. I actually do love Zoe. We bonded over you and Brandon. Came together over the fact that the people we love the most love each other. I guess if you can't have hateful sex out of that what can you have? But mostly, I am doing this because I know it is killing you inside to know that you can't have one of your children. I am doing this to hurt you the way you hurt me when you took off, only to return pregnant with his son, and flaunting his ring around town. I am doing this to break you." I nodded, glaring at his profile.

"Congratulations then Wyatt, I'm broken. Happy now?" He shook his head, laughing manically.

"I won't be happy until you're so miserable you want to die. I'm going to take everything from you Callie." I nod and shut my eyes.

"You will have to kill me first." I say.

"A little whiskey and a camry should do the trick for that, no?"

* * *

**Two weeks earlier.**

I pulled the whiskey closer to my body, lifting the glass to my lips and inhale the scent of the amber liquid. Every part of me is screaming to open my lips, to wrap them around the rim of the glass and take that long needed sip. I sigh, snapping my eyes open and calling out to the bartender.

"Can I just get water instead?" He nods his head, and I down the water in one swift swallow. I walk out of the bar leaving a twenty and the whiskey on the table top.

**Present**

* * *

"No, it won't do the trick Wyatt. I'm stronger than I have ever been. I will get my daughter back, and you can go to fucking hell." I spat at him.

"You know Callie, with a mouth like that, it's no wonder you're a whore." His hands reach out to trace my lips. I smack his hands away.

"And with a dick like that it's no wonder I left you." I turn to walk away from him, but his hand shoots out to grab my arm, gripping me so tightly I'm sure there will be a bruise in the morning.

"You will be sorry you said that." I nodded.

"Not as sorry as you're going to be." Yanking my arm out of his grasp I fixed my shirt and walked away.

* * *

**A/N: Alright, don't kill me. The wedding is over! My future sister in law is finally married and I was finally able to sit down and write this. I had written myself into a corner with Zoe taking Hayden, but I think I see a way out of it now. Please tell me what you think, and for new readers, hello! Also, I've been experimenting with a new more vocal writing technique. I'm not sure I like it much. **


	10. Chapter 10

**I want to wake up kicking and screaming**

**I want to wake up kicking and screaming**

**I want to know that my heart's still beating**

**It's beating, I'm bleeding**

**Awakening – Switchfoot**

I stood in our newly renovated kitchen chopping vegetables when the doorbell rang. I froze mid slice, peering around our bay window to look at the front porch. I glared when I saw the silver stilettos, the right foot tapping incessantly against the wood. Exhaling my breath heavily, gently placing the knife on the cutting board, and moving the entire operation to the fridge, before I decided exactly what I was going to do when I opened the door. I squared my shoulders, reminded myself to breath and rolled my eyes when the doorbell rang twice in quick succession. I kissed my son on the top of his head, his little feet bouncing him up and down in his swing. It hung over the doorjamb, all strings and blue mesh with trucks printed onto the side. My bare feet padded across the floor towards the front door, my hand grasping the knob and turning. I smiled at her, sweetness dripping onto my face with such a fierce fakeness.

"Hello Zoe." I said, pulling the door open wide, letting her get a glimpse at the house that she once used to live in. I wanted her to feel the same pain that I felt when she pulled my daughter from me. I wanted her to feel what it feels like to know that people and things have moved on, without her. Her blonde hair was pulled messily on top of her head, her eyeliner was running down her face, and she was dress in what seemed to be the oddest outfit ever. Pajama shorts, an oversized t-shirt, and her hideous silver shoes.

"Callie." She said, pushing her way into the house. "I need your help. Hayden she doesn't sleep. Like ever. All she does is yell and cry all night long." I nodded my head.

"She tends to do that when she doesn't have Mr. Hops." I said to her, closing my front door behind her. I laughed slightly. "I love your outfit, where did you buy it?" The glare she sent me had me laughing doubly. "Face it Zoe, you're not cut out to be a mother. The fact that you are on my doorstep at four in the afternoon looking like a stripper, well it just goes to prove the fact."

I bent down and hoisted my son up by his underarms, positioning him on my hip. I kissed his head again, smiling down at him. She heaved herself onto my couch, kicking off her heels and laying her arm across her forehead. I scoffed, brushing her feet off of my couch.

"You need to leave." I said to her. "You and Wyatt made your bed, now you have to lie in it. I will see you in court, and believe me, my lawyer will be hearing about this little visit."

"You're still a bitch, huh?" Zoe said, picking up her shoes. "I would have thought me taking away your daughter would have set you straight." Turning my back to her I sighed, walking to the door and flinging it wide open. Brayden jumped in my arms as the door hit the wall.

"Get. The. Fuck. Out." I said evenly, tilting my head towards the open door and her car haphazardly parked on my front lawn. "And don't you come back." I slammed the door behind her, growling deep in my throat while running my hand through my hair. I smiled down at Brayden, kissing his forehead, and smiling.

"I love you, baby boy. We're going to get your sister back, I promise."

* * *

**Some things I'll never know**

**And I had to let them go**

**Some things I'll never know**

**I'm sitting all alone feeling empty**

**Pressure – Paramore **

There comes a time in ones life when they have to make several life decisions. In my years, I have had to make many of them, and the one facing me today wasn't any different. I had curled my hair, throwing most of it back into a pony tail. The black pant suit I was supposed to be wearing today hung on the back of our bedroom door. I sat at my vanity in my under garments, staring at myself in the mirror. The girl staring back at me was unrecognizable, there was a hollow look in her eyes, and pain laced on her face. The girl I remember being was happy, vibrant, and full of life.

Reaching out I traced the frame with the pictures of my children in them, solidifying my decision for the day. Steeling myself against the wave of tears that threatened to fall down my face, I sighed and picked up my lipstick.

"Callie!" I froze at my vanity, hand midway to my lips. I looked at the doorway through the mirror, and smiled softly at the sight of my husband holding our son to his chest.

"Yes, Brandon?" His eyes travelled up and down my body, and I glared at him. "Eyes up here, babe." He nodded, sighing, and looked back to Brayden.

"I can't find the vest that goes with these pants." I chuckled at him, standing up and putting on my robe before walking out of our bedroom and into Brayden's.

"He doesn't need a vest, just this tie." I toss the tie in his direction, smiling at him as I saunter back to my vanity. I turn my head and smile at them, my heart hurting, knowing the fact of what I was going to do today if things didn't go my way.

* * *

**Hate me today**

**Hate me tomorrow**

**Hate me for all the things I didn't do for you**

**Hate Me – Blue October**

I stood in my son's bedroom; his drawers had been emptied into a suitcase that stood at my feet. My left hand reached up to wipe my eyes, wiping away the shame at what I was about to do. Brayden was sleeping in his crib, clutching his pale green blanket to his chest, facing the picture of me and Brandon. It was of our wedding day, the dress I had on was made of the softest ivory lace I could find. B stood in a dark gray suit with a blue tie, which in turn brought out his eyes. And again, as I stared into his smiling face the tears started to fall down my face.

I picked up Brayden's suitcase and diaper bag and walked them both out to my car where they joined the yellow set already sitting there. I sighed and slammed the trunk lid closed, turned and ran my fingers through my hair. I steeled myself from the thoughts running through my mind, and walked gracefully back into the house in my heels. There was one room left to pack up, and this would be the first that Brandon would notice when he came home from work tonight. I checked on Brayden before throwing my clothes into my luggage.

There was a time in my life that I thought I was done running, and it was about a year ago after I ran to the East Coast, and I wish now that I hadn't shown that part of my life to Brandon, because that is where I wanted to run right now. But there was a small town in Washington that I could settle in, where a woman with two babies could settle down, without drawing any attention to the small family.

And so I walked into my son's room and swaddled him in his green blanket. I clutched him to my chest and smiled, kissing the top of his head. I locked the front door behind me, smiling one last time at the house that I had made a home for our two wonderful children. I placed my son into his car seat and strapped him in. I closed the door behind him and walked around to the driver's side. I buckled my seatbelt and turned in my seat, and spoke to my son.

"Come on Brayden, let's go get your sister."

The engine started and I pulled away from the curb, ready to commit a felony and leave my life behind.

* * *

**A/N: Hey guys, sorry that I have been gone for so long. No excuses except that I got busy with life. But I wrote this for you guys because the guilt crept up on me. And it is so short but the words weren't stringing together properly. The next section will be dark, and I'm so sorry for that. But I can't write happy, as you can see, my happy chapters were not good. Now, I must say that there is only 5 chapters after this one. Enjoy.**


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